System and method for substituting data in responses to multimedia inquiries

Abstract

The present invention is directed to using a gateway, through which a user uses a communication device such as a computer to access a network, to strip data from communications to the user from the network. The present invention also adds new data to the communication to the user from the network based on the demographics of the user. The demographics of the user may be accessed by or stored on the gateway thus avoiding the security issues of having said demographics being on the network.

1 . A gateway for communicably connecting a communication device to a network comprising:
 a processor operable for stripping certain data from information being downloaded from said network to said communication device; said stripping based, at least in part, on user demographics accessible by said gateway.   
   
   
       2 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said gateway is within a premises, said communication device being within said premises. 
   
   
       3 . The gateway of  claim 2  wherein said gateway is one of a plurality of gateways within said premises wherein said gateway is closest to said communication device. 
   
   
       4 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said gateway further comprises memory for storing said user demographics. 
   
   
       5 . The gateway of  claim 4  wherein said memory stores data to be added to said downloaded information. 
   
   
       6 . The gateway of  claim 5  wherein said gateway further comprises the ability to download said data to be added to said downloaded information. 
   
   
       7 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said processor is functionally operable for adding new data to said downloaded information from said network to said communication device, said new data based, at least in part, on said available user demographics. 
   
   
       8 . The gateway of  claim 7  wherein said new data is based, at least in part, on said information being downloaded from said network to said communication device. 
   
   
       9 . The gateway of  claim 7  wherein said new data is based, at least in part, on said information being downloaded from an alternate network to said communication device. 
   
   
       10 . The gateway of  claim 8  wherein said gateway, during periods when said communication device is not communicably connected to said network, downloads said new data to said communication device. 
   
   
       11 . The gateway of  claim 9  wherein said gateway, during periods when said communication device is not communicably connected to said network, downloads said new data to said communication device via an alternate network. 
   
   
       12 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is the Internet and said requested information is a web page. 
   
   
       13 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is the Internet and said requested information is an emergency message. 
   
   
       14 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is a cable television network and said requested information is a television advertisement. 
   
   
       15 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is a television network and said requested information is an audio message. 
   
   
       16 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is a television network and said requested information is a video message. 
   
   
       17 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is a television network and said requested information is an emergency message. 
   
   
       18 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is a cable radio network and said requested information is a radio advertisement. 
   
   
       19 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is a radio network and said requested information is an audio message. 
   
   
       20 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is a radio network and said requested information is an emergency message. 
   
   
       21 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is a telephone network and said requested information is an “on-hold” message. 
   
   
       22 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is a telephone network and said requested information is an audio message. 
   
   
       23 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is a telephone network and said requested information is a video message. 
   
   
       24 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said network is a telephone network and said requested information is an emergency message. 
   
   
       25 . The gateway of  claim 1  wherein said gateway is located in said communication device. 
   
   
       26 . A software program operable in a gateway connecting a communication device to a network, said software program comprising:
 code for processing information being downloaded from said network to a user at said communication device; and   code for stripping data from said information being downloaded from said network to said communication device, said stripping based, at least in part, on user demographics accessible by said gateway.   
   
   
       27 . The software program of  claim 26  further comprising code for replacing said stripped data with new data, said new data being dependent upon said demographics of said user. 
   
   
       28 . The software program of  claim 27  wherein said user demographics is stored in a memory of said gateway. 
   
   
       29 . The software program of  claim 27  wherein said new data is dependent, at least in part, upon said information being downloaded from said network to said communication device. 
   
   
       30 . The software program of  claim 27  wherein said new data is dependent, at least in part, upon said information being downloaded from a different network to said communication device. 
   
   
       31 . The software program of  claim 26  further comprising code for downloading said new data when said communication device is not communicably connected to said network. 
   
   
       32 . The software program of  claim 26  further comprising code for downloading said new data from a different network when said communication device is not communicably connected to said network. 
   
   
       33 . A method comprising:
 using a communication device to access information on a network via a gateway;   using said gateway to access demographics of a user;   using said gateway for stripping certain data from said information; and   using said gateway for adding new data to said information, said adding based, at least in part, on said demographics of the user.   
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said network is the Internet and said information is a web page. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said network is a television network and said information is an advertisement. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said network is a television network and said information is an emergency message. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said network is a radio network and said information is an advertisement. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said network is a radio network and said information is an emergency message. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said network is a telephone network and said information is an “on-hold” message. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said network is a telephone network and said information is an advertisement. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said network is a telephone network and said information is an emergency message. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said gateway is located in said communication device. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said gateway is located upstream of said communication device but within premises in which said communication device is located. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said gateway is a modem. 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said gateway is a router. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said gateway is a hub. 
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said gateway is a wireless access point. 
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said gateway is a set-top-box. 
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said gateway is a media-center. 
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 33  further comprising storing said demographics of said user in said gateway. 
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 33  further comprising using said information to add said new data to said information. 
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 33  further comprising downloading said new data during periods when said communication device is not communicably connected to said network. 
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said gateway is one of a plurality of gateways within a premises and said gateway is closest to said communication device.